1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a coupling device having a flywheel mass which faces a drive and is connected to a driver.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
German reference DE 41 22 135 A1 describes, as can be seen by way of example in FIG. 1, a coupling device in the form of a hydrodynamic torque converter, in which a flywheel mass which faces the drive is formed by a radial flange which runs radially outward from a bearing journal which is mounted in the transmission housing via a holder. The radial flange is firmly connected to the pump shell of the pump wheel. On the other hand, together with an output drive shaft, the turbine wheel forms a flywheel mass on the output-drive side.
Returning to the radially inner bearing journal, this is formed with an internal tooth system which engages in an external tooth system on a drive shaft. This drive shaft likewise has an external tooth system at the other end, via which it engages in a corresponding internal tooth system on the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. This drive shaft is thus used as a driver for the flywheel mass which faces the drive.
Although the drive shaft produces a connection between the drive and the flywheel mass such that they rotate together, it is impossible, due to play in the tooth systems, to avoid rattling or chattering occurring in the region of these tooth systems when torsional oscillations occur.
A further problem with the known coupling device is that neither the mounting for the bearing journal nor the drive shaft ensure that the flywheel mass which faces the drive is secured axially, and thus that the entire torque converter is secured axially on the crankshaft. The torque converter could thus carry out axial movements which would have to be supported in the transmission and could lead to damage there.
In order to avoid the problems mentioned above, it is normal, as can be seen from FIG. 1 in German reference DE 32 22 119 C1 to which U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,916 corresponds, for a plate which is elastic in the axial direction to be screwed detachably to the free end of the crankshaft of a drive. The plate, for its part, is screwed in the radially outer region to the flywheel mass, which faces the drive, of the coupling device, in the present case once again formed by a hydrodynamic torque converter. However, the solution is complex since, in order to screw the flexible plate to the flywheel mass, threaded blocks must be attached to the flywheel mass, at specific distances from one another and distributed around the circumference, these blocks being used to hold the screws. Furthermore, due to the confined physical space conditions and difficult access conditions, it is extremely difficult to screw the flexible plate to the corresponding flywheel mass of the coupling device.